Beautiful Winter Scenes Around the World

Charlottesville, VA

As temperatures cool off and flurries give way to blizzards, avoid the urge to stay inside all winter. Even though it’s cold, now’s the time to head out for a long weekend ski trip or just a walk around the neighborhood to admire the freshly fallen snow—just remember to take your camera along to capture these beautiful winter scenes.

Over the last year we’ve asked Travel + Leisure readers to submit their best photographs to our photo contest, and many photographers went for snowy shots, especially for last January’s Winter theme. We picked out photos of destinations that are particularly beautiful under a blanket of snow—and may inspire you to skip the beach and head to the mountains for your next escape.

One arresting image comes from Mogilev in eastern Belarus. T+L community member mitranor captured a moment as the early morning fog gave way to a crisp blue sky revealing a white convent surrounded by snowy fields.

A more playful shot shows two sheepdogs in New Jersey romping through the snow. In that same vein, another T+L member shot a skier contemplating his course down a mountain in the French Alps, showing that winter is also a time for being outdoors and having fun, not just hibernating.

Back in the U.S., community member aerochem captured a dusting of snow on the rock formations at Arches National Park in Utah. After a particularly mild winter last year, this season has already started out stronger with an early November snowstorm on the Eastern Seaboard. And there’ll be more to come—the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts this season will a lot colder with more snow, at least for the states east of the Dakotas and Texas.

Come out of hibernation, and take a trip through these beautiful winter scenes, from Yellowstone National Park to the Italian Alps.